New rider do's and dont's

NoNameNoNumber · 28 Jul 2015 at 10:39

Morning chaps,

I've done about 400 miles on the new CBF now and feel pretty confident about generally riding around without much traffic. As I gain experience I do find an ever increasing list of questions I want answers for... Bear with me

Textile trousers... Inside or outside of boots?

Gloves should overlap the jacket right?

Sat at a junction/roundabout/lights. Seems smoother to stay in first but I remember being told in a car to sit in neutral... If I'm waiting for a gap I'll sit in 1st, if I'm waiting at lights for instance I will probably drop into neutral.

Do you cover your brakes at all times when moving? I'd rather have a finger or two on the lever but then I'm not holding on as well.

The biggest thing for me is to NOT get any bad habits that'll cause me trouble when I do my full A licence.

Any help appreciated guys

tom_e · 28 Jul 2015 at 10:42

I keep my trousers outside the boots, if it rains then it'll run straight down your trouser leg into your boot.

Same with gloves although I've got 2 pairs of short cuff ones so I have no choice and my long cuff pair I will wear over the jacket if it's dry/I can't be bothered wrestling them under my jacket cuff depending on which jacket I've got on.

Normally I'll stay in 1st to be honest unless I know the junction and I know I'm going to be there for a while.

Rarely cover my brakes unless it's slow moving traffic.

NoNameNoNumber · 28 Jul 2015 at 10:44

That pretty much covers it Tom thanks!

What would the official line on covering brakes and sitting in 1st be on the test?

Kreeeee · 28 Jul 2015 at 10:44

Your knees hold onto the bike not your hands.

tom_e · 28 Jul 2015 at 10:47

NoNameNoNumber said:
That pretty much covers it Tom thanks!

What would the official line on covering brakes and sitting in 1st be on the test?

I'd have sat in first on my test and it was never mentioned and as long as you still have full control of the bike then covering the brake will make no difference either.

NoNameNoNumber · 28 Jul 2015 at 10:59

Kreeeee said:
Your knees hold onto the bike not your hands.

Ah that's why my inner thighs we're aching after my first couple of rides... Much more comfortable now I've relaxed a bit.

tom_e said:
I'd have sat in first on my test and it was never mentioned and as long as you still have full control of the bike then covering the brake will make no difference either.

Fair point. Back brake only when stopped?

Steampunk · 28 Jul 2015 at 11:51

NoNameNoNumber said:
Morning chaps,

I've done about 400 miles on the new CBF now and feel pretty confident about generally riding around without much traffic. As I gain experience I do find an ever increasing list of questions I want answers for... Bear with me

Textile trousers... Inside or outside of boots?

Gloves should overlap the jacket right?

Yes, inside for textiles. You don't want them flapping around, or pulled up if you fall off. For waterproofs, it's the other way around, because otherwise the rain will be channelled into your boots/gloves.

NoNameNoNumber said:
Sat at a junction/roundabout/lights. Seems smoother to stay in first but I remember being told in a car to sit in neutral... If I'm waiting for a gap I'll sit in 1st, if I'm waiting at lights for instance I will probably drop into neutral.

Sit in neutral, right foot on the road (you don't need to be on the back brake when stopped) and cover the gearshift with your left foot. Then pull in clutch and pop it into first when needed. Otherwise you are hopping from left to right foot trying to cover brake/gearshift. You only need the front brake when stopped.

NoNameNoNumber said:
Do you cover your brakes at all times when moving? I'd rather have a finger or two on the lever but then I'm not holding on as well.

No, you don't need to. Unless you have short levers, you're likely to get your other fingers trapped if you have to pull the lever, and then you've only got two fingers on the lever and can't pull it as hard as you need to, especially with the rest of your fingers in the way. Keeping fingers on the front brake also gets in the way of throttle control when you want to twist the grip. All fingers or no fingers.

NoNameNoNumber said:
The biggest thing for me is to NOT get any bad habits that'll cause me trouble when I do my full A licence.

Any help appreciated guys

Biggest thing is to never put yourself in the position where you rely on other drivers doing the right thing to keep you safe ie risk mitigation. Take your space to discourage drivers from squeezing you, don't count on other people not to screw up, keep your situational awareness. Check over your shoulders.

wazza300 · 28 Jul 2015 at 11:52

I keep mine in first atlights its just easier when time to pull away,trousers on inside of boots as the boots fit pretty tight and are still dry if it rains,can cover the front brake if you see any potential hazards or pullouts I don't cover mine all the time though

I was taught to have just the left foot down waiting at lights/junctions and both hands on the bars and the right foot on the peg covering the rear brake

ElliorR · 28 Jul 2015 at 11:56

If I'm at a traffic lights controlled crossroads and know the sequence I'll put it into neutral if I have a bit of a wait but where I don't know how long it'll be before I set off, I'll leave it in 1st. Or 3rd as I did the other day, after filtering to the front, then promptly stalled it when the lights went green. Was embarrassing

tom_e · 28 Jul 2015 at 11:57

ElliorR said:
If I'm at a traffic lights controlled crossroads and know the sequence I'll put it into neutral if I have a bit of a wait but where I don't know how long it'll be before I set off, I'll leave it in 1st. Or 3rd as I did the other day, after filtering to the front, then promptly stalled it when the lights went green. Was embarrassing

We've all been there

gcaster · 28 Jul 2015 at 12:10

If I'm wearing textiles they go outside my boots, otherwise as above the water just runs into my boots if it rains. If I'm wearing my Kevlar jeans I tend to put them in my boots as its a bit more comfy/less flappage in the wind.

With regards covering the brakes I was told not to do this by my instructor as its seem to limit your control over the bike. I used to do it as a habit from mountain biking.

ttaskmaster · 28 Jul 2015 at 12:30

NoNameNoNumber said:
Textile trousers... Inside or outside of boots?

Mine go outside.
Water runs off instead of into boots, wind stays out, puddles don't splach up and then dribble down.
However, mine are cinched up tight, too.

NoNameNoNumber said:
Gloves should overlap the jacket right?

Generally, yes. Depends on the glove, jacket and personal comfort.

NoNameNoNumber said:
Seems smoother to stay in first but I remember being told in a car to sit in neutral...

If you're waiting, then handbrake on, gears in Neutral.
Yes.
In a car...

On a bike, clutch in, 1st gear, rear brake covered. Left foot on the floor.
You can click up to Neutral if it's going to be a long wait, but still keep the rear brake covered.

NoNameNoNumber said:
Do you cover your brakes at all times when moving?

Yes.

NoNameNoNumber said:
I'd rather have a finger or two on the lever but then I'm not holding on as well.

I tend to do it when I think I might have to brake. Experience will tell you when, though usually it's during heavy/commuting traffic and people are starting to drive a bit silly...

Don't use one or two fingers, though. Either:
- Learn to hold the throttle with thumb and the top edge of your palm, leaving all fingers resting gently along the top of the brake lever but not tight enough to pull it in and light the brake lamp.
- Rest first three fingers on brake lever, grip throttle with thumb and curl pinky finger around as normal. Then apply a bit of clockwise twist to keep throttle held. It makes sense when you actually try it.

However...
If you're unable to control the bike as well, either you need to learn about consciously counter-steering, or you do not need to be covering the brake at that point and would be better off with a full grip.

If you DO need to be covering the brake so often that you're sacrificing full-grip control, then you're either not paying attention ahead enough, and/or are going too fast for the conditions and need to back off a bit.

Remember, you've only done 400 miles - I do that in an average working week!
Give it a few more weeks and you'll start learning the bike, how it handles best and how to get the precision in your control.

TripleT · 28 Jul 2015 at 12:39

Steampunk said:
Sit in neutral, right foot on the road (you don't need to be on the back brake when stopped) and cover the gearshift with your left foot. Then pull in clutch and pop it into first when needed. Otherwise you are hopping from left to right foot trying to cover brake/gearshift. You only need the front brake when stopped.

That's the definition of a bad habit so not something you should be advising for someone looking at taking their test soon.

When stopped always have you foot on the back brake. You'll be told to always keep it in first too as you shouldn't be stopped for any massive amount of time. On your test your hands should be on your bars at all times.

Yer if I know the light sequence and I know I'm going to be there for a while I'll put it in netural and take both hands off bars but never on your test. I don't get the whole right foot down business, see people doing it though.

Again, don't cover your brakes either when riding. Hands should be away from lever when riding and balls of foot should be on the pegs.

Steampunk · 28 Jul 2015 at 13:55

TripleT said:
That's the definition of a bad habit so not something you should be advising for someone looking at taking their test soon.

That's how I was taught by my instructors when I passed my test.

TripleT said:
When stopped always have you foot on the back brake. You'll be told to always keep it in first too as you shouldn't be stopped for any massive amount of time. On your test your hands should be on your bars at all times.

Again, I was taught to have your feet where they needed to be, not hopping from left to right as you stop, go to neutral, cover the brake, switch back, etc.

tom_e · 28 Jul 2015 at 13:59

When I done my CBT the instructor told us to always take up the safety position of left foot down, right covering the back brake.
I done my DAS training with another school and he never really mentioned it and now I've passed I just do whichever is the most comfortable at the time.

MowyTone · 28 Jul 2015 at 15:20

Mostly cover rear brake out of habit now

TripleT · 28 Jul 2015 at 16:16

Steampunk said:
That's how I was taught by my instructors when I passed my test.

Again, I was taught to have your feet where they needed to be, not hopping from left to right as you stop, go to neutral, cover the brake, switch back, etc.

Goes against what myself and everyone who's recently passed their test has been taught (I'm guessing). Not saying it's right for everyone but it's what's considered right nowadays in the examiners which is whats important!

Guessing you passed a while ago?

wazza300 · 28 Jul 2015 at 16:18

yeah I was always taught only left foot down while waiting,it shows you have control of the machine with hands on handlebars and right foot on peg covering rear brake

whoever taught you didn't care much

RyanF · 28 Jul 2015 at 16:28

wazza300 said:
yeah I was always taught only right foot down while waiting,it shows you have control of the machine with hands on handlebars and right foot on peg covering rear brake

How many right feet do you have?

wazza300 · 28 Jul 2015 at 16:29

haha funny,left foot down :rolleyes: